THE North East rail line has and continues to play a major role in the rural city's history and development.

Recent celebrations marking the line's 150th anniversary gave us just a glimpse of those days gone by.

They also inspired railway enthusiast John Thompson to take a trip up to the North East to compare the line and the towns it has impacted like Wangaratta with photos taken back in the 1950s by good friend and former steam engine driver and equally passionate railway fan Ian Barkla.

"My old mate Ian Barkla, now aged 92, is a retired Victorian Railways driver who spent most of his working career on steam engines," John said.

"He has always been interested in VR history and, over time, amassed a collection of relevant material, especially photographs.

"I've known Ian since around 1960, particularly through our mutual involvement with Puffing Billy, where Ian was regularly rostered as a driver after the re-opening of the line in 1962.

"During my own time as a volunteer Puffing Billy fireman back in the 1980s and 1990s, I always enjoyed a day out on the footplate with Ian.

"In recent times, Ian has trusted me to borrow his collection of old black and white negatives for the purpose of scanning them progressively as time permits.

"Among the rail-interest gems being found are a few likely to be of interest to local communities, such as Wangaratta."

John visited the North East in October and took photos at the identical locations to the historic images in the Barkla Collection, giving a unique historic perspective.

John has kindly prepared half a dozen for us to publish weekly for Chronicle readers to enjoy.

John said this first pair offers a topical follow-up to the Chronicle's recent feature on the narrow-gauge Whitfield line that closed 70 years ago this month.

In this view, the narrow-gauge line to Whitfield was still in operation prior to its closure in October 1953.

The speeding car is heading west on Tone Road, with the Greta Road level crossing visible just beyond the back of the car, vastly different to the colour image at the same location on Sunday, October 22, 2023.